Mamma Mia!
at Cypress Bay High School

Reviewed on March 7, 2019

Julia Musso
NSU University School
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

An impending wedding day with no father to give you away. What could be worse? Welcome to the luscious islands of Greece, where the waves crashing on the shore are almost as intense as the drama on the horizon in Cypress Bay's delightful depiction of "Mamma Mia!"

With a score composed of chart-topping hits from the 1970s Swedish pop group ABBA, "Mamma Mia!" tells the story of young bride-to-be Sophie's tedious search for her birth father among three eligible bachelors from her mother's past. Heartwarming, captivating, and sure to leave you humming as you leave the theatre, this jovial jukebox musical is filled to the brim with side-splitting humor and lovable life lessons.

Leading the show was the strong-willed Sophie (Daniela Osario), who wowed audiences with her stunning vocals and beaming presence. Osario did a wonderful job of encompassing the youthful and optimistic spirit of her character, most notably during her solo "I Have A Dream". As Donna (Naja Brown)'s spunky sidekicks and fellow "Dynamos", Kyleigh Jehlicka (Tanya) and Cristina Marine (Rosie) brought down the house with their exuberant mannerisms and impeccable comedic timing. Jehlicka's consistently high energy on stage was awe-inspiring, especially during the showstopper "Does Your Mother Know?", featuring beautiful belts and undeniable chemistry with her devoted admirer Pepper (Ricardo Morales). Whether it was cracking a joke or swooning over Tanya from a distance, Morales always remained in character and committed, even when the focus was not on him.

From the moment they entered, the Dancers/Greek Islanders ensemble saturated the stage with heavenly harmonies and lively facial expressions. Although occasionally drawing excessive attention to themselves during intimate scenes, the group made wonderful use of their space and established unique relationships with each other that emphasized the communal nature of the island. Catching the eyes of audience members alike was Katie Kanefsky (Dancer), whose high-flying tricks were a sight to behold.

Not to be outshined by the cast, the technical crew also executed their respective roles extremely well. Choreography (Valeria Jubes) was dynamic and brought a whole new level of enthusiasm and excitement to each of the musical numbers while also highlighting the extensive abilities of certain cast members. While not necessarily time-appropriate, the costumes (Lyon, Marine, and Morales) looked beautiful on stage and allowed for performers to dance and move around comfortably. Finally, the set (Perkins, Goldstein, Gill, and Oliveira) encompassed the relaxed vibe of a tropical paradise superbly, making all who watched feel like they were living on island time.

The "Super Trouper" lights must have found Cypress Bay High School's spectacular performance of "Mamma Mia!", because it was truly "shining like the sun" from beginning to end!

Aysha Zackria
NSU University School
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

Cypress Bay High School's production of Mamma Mia! dazzled with dynamic characters and memorable music!

Sophie has gone her whole life without knowing who her father is. In the hopes of having him give her away at her wedding, she invites her three possible dads who she found in the diary of her mother, Donna. When they all arrive, Sophie has to grapple with the chaos she created for herself, her mother, and all three men. With songs by the Swedish pop group, ABBA, music and lyrics by Andersson and Ulvaeus, and book by Catherine Johnson, Mamma Mia! premiered on the West End in 1999. The 2001 Broadway production five Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards.

Daniela Osorio, as Sophie, used her expressive vocals to convey clear characterization. Her vivid facial expressions translated into unique relationships with every character on stage. Her connection with Donna, played by Naja Brown, grew and changed, ultimately becoming a powerful mother-daughter duo. Jason Rosenberg, playing Sam, had an air of poise and notable presence, which distinguished him. This made his age and past with Donna all the more believable. Especially while singing, he portrayed an impressive range of sorrow and joy.

Kyleigh Jehlicka, playing Tanya, expertly played the rich divorcee. Her condescension and charisma culminated in an extremely entertaining performance. The dynamic between her and Ricardo Morales, as Pepper, developed in "Does Your Mother Know", an upbeat song about their relationship and obvious age difference. Morales's sharp dancing and comedic timing amazed. Cristina Mariné, playing Rosie, fearlessly portrayed a carefree, older woman with distinct physicality and unparalleled use of every moment to further her character. Jacob Fretwell, as Sky, and Kathleen Valent, as Lisa, both stood out as a result of their characters' evident devotion to Sophie. Like the Dancers and Greek Islanders, their constant engagement and energy enhanced many large numbers. As a whole, the cast had incredible chemistry and clean harmonies.

Stage management, by Alexandra Tawid, was focused and organized. Cues were clearly marked, allowing for smooth transitions between scenes. Choreography, by Valeria Jubes, reflected the unique disco music of ABBA with period appropriate moves. Because the choreography was so animated, the ensemble had a lot of energy that sustained the show. Marketing and publicity, by Brown, Mariné, Miller, and Valent, acted very effectively, particularly within the school itself. Through multiple social media campaigns, they engaged a large number of younger audiences.

Cypress Bay High School's production of Mamma Mia! should be thanked for the music and all the joy it brought.

Emily Nardoni
Dillard Center for the Arts
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

"I Have a Dream", of bright colors, infectious energy, and effervescent dance numbers; a dream that the students of Cypress Bay High School fulfilled stunningly in their production of Mamma Mia! The cast and crew gave a thrilling performance that captured the heart and soul of Greek culture in an uplifting experience enough to make anyone feel like a "Dancing Queen".

The ABBA based jukebox musical was written by Catherine Johnson, with music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. Mamma Mia! is set in a fictional Greek island, Kalokairi, based on the real Greek island Skopelos. Twenty-year-old island resident Sophie Sheridan is preparing for the wedding of her dreams, but to do that she must first discover a part of her that has been missing her entire life: the identity of her father. Chaos ensues on the small island when Sophie invites all three of her possible fathers to the wedding, provided by a peek in her mother Donna's diary, but the search provides her with a bigger family than she intended, and some fun along the way.

Bursting with life were the show stopping dynamic duo Tanya (Kyleigh Jehlicka) and Rosie (Cristina Mariné). The pair shared impeccable chemistry when on stage together, yet accomplished incredible personal character development and interpretation on their own. Jehlicka impacted the production with dazzling vocals in her number "Does Your Mother Know?" as well as executed a well-defined and consistent character throughout the production. Mariné offered comedic brilliance to the piece with her impressive physicality and character development. The two built off each other's energy providing each scene they were in with vivid life, as well as maintaining a realistic and organic bond. Sophie (Daniela Osorio) provided similar realism in character development. Osorio gave a genuine performance from the heart, building recognizable chemistry with each member of the cast during the performance.

Each musical number included flawless harmonies from the cast; most notable was that of Sam (Jason Rosenberg). Rosenberg's vocals added a heart filled, yet skillful touch to every musical number he performed in. With a well-defined character arc, Rosenberg's performance was honest and entertaining from start to finish. The comical genius of Pepper (Ricardo Morales) was not soon forgotten; Morales's comedic timing and energy were the highlights of his powerful and humorous performance. The ensemble of Greek Islanders/Dancers were the production's highest source of life and energy. The ensemble brought the audience into the island of Kalokairi in each musical number and scene. Remaining in character at all times, the ensemble kept a consistent stream of high energy that impacted the production in an eye-catching way.

The choreography provided by Valeria Jubes was clean, crisp, and visiually captivating. Numbers such as "Money, Money, Money", "Voulez Vous", and "Under Attack" were riveting to watch, full of sharp moves and traditional Greek culture. The overall production included minor falls in character and pacing, however cast energy never fluctuated, providing an enticing overall performance.

The cast of Cypress Bay High School's production of Mamma Mia! provided a captivating performance full of high energy and unforgettable numbers that proved to be visually outstanding to experience. After all, "Without a song or a dance, what are we?"

Madeline Finkelman
North Broward Preparatory School
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

You are cordially invited to the destination wedding of young lovebirds Sophie and Sky. Grab your passport and playbill and join the exuberant cast as Cypress Bay High School takes you to the idyllic Greek Isles for a hypnotically high-energy production of Mamma Mia!

Based on the timeless pop songs of ABBA, Mamma Mia! is a joyous jukebox musical written by Catherine Johnson. In 2001, the show danced its way to Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre eventually settling in the Broadhurst Theatre. With almost 6,000 performances before it closed in 2015, Mamma Mia! holds the title as the ninth longest-running show on Broadway. The story follows taverna owner Donna Sheridan who on the eve of her daughter's wedding gets three unexpected visitors...dot dot dot...three ex-lovers from her past. Little does she know they were invited by her daughter Sophie who hopes to learn which one of them is her father. What begins as a lively and lighthearted musical escapade evolves into a touching tale of love, family and acceptance.

The stubborn and fiercely independent Donna was played by Naja Brown. Brown ably carried the show and exhibited palpable emotion in her solo "The Winner Takes It All". Donna's sensitive and determined daughter Sophie was brought to the stage by Daniela Osorio. Osorio skillfully created connections with her three yet-to-be-determined dads that felt both distinct and believable.

Donna's dynamic and adoring Dynamo duo, Rosie and Tanya, gave new meaning to the concept of best friends forever as her longtime pals and former singing soul sisters. Cristina Mariné as the forward and fun-loving Rosie garnered some of the night's biggest laughs, creating a convincingly comical character with her mature-minded physicality and boundless energy. Kyleigh Jehlicka excellently portrayed the lusty and lovable Tanya with the perfect balance of poise and promiscuousness, best showcased along with her stunning vocals in the song "Does Your Mother Know?". This woman-focussed story was both grounded and elevated by the three men in Donna's life, Sam, Bill and Harry. Jason Rosenberg played steadfast Sam with sweet sincerity, while also demonstrating a smooth and sultry vocal quality. Alejandro Rodriguez portrayed suppressed rock-n-roller Harry with his consistent and hilarious delivery. Robert Goldstein was adventurer Bill, at his best in his comically complicated relationship with Rosie, best showcased in the uproarious song "Take A Chance On Me".

The dancing Greek islanders brought unwavering energy and skillful movements to every scene. Particular standouts among the cast were Jacob Fretwell as the charming groom Sky and Kathleen Valent as Sophie's bubbly bridesmaid Lisa. From the aisles, to the sides of the theatre, the effervescent ensemble made excellent use of every inch of the stage and beyond, making the audience feel like part of the party.

The good-time atmosphere was further accentuated by the show's technical elements. The lighting was an excellent mood-setter and while some blackouts were a bit abrupt, the overall lighting design served the show well. The mediterranean inspired set pieces and backdrop helped to bring the fun and festive scenarios to vivid and luminous life.

From a young couple's idealistic infatuation to the rekindled romance of long-lost loves, the heart and humor of Cypress Bay's Mamma Mia! wonderfully wove 70's pop hits through a captivating narrative, merrily moving you to laugh, sing-a-long, and above all else, to take a chance on love.

Grace Emery
South Plantation High School
Submitted for publication to Florida Theater On Stage

Time to let the inner dancing queen shine in Cypress Bay's production of "Mamma Mia!". The whole cast perfectly captured the effervescent feeling of this iconic show through their lively movements, constant energy, and hypnotizing vocals.

"Mamma Mia!", written by Catherine Johnson is a jukebox musical based on the hit songs of Swedish pop band, Abba. It first premiered in London in 1999, and moved to Broadway on October 18, 2001. It has had many touring productions and has played in six continents. The touring production won a "Touring Broadway Award" for Best Musical Score.

Opening the show was Daniela Osorio as Sophie, who had a wonderful presence onstage and expertly portrayed the youthfulness needed for her character. She perfectly embodied the naïve and charming aspect of Sophie both through her acting and vocal performance.

The ensemble gave an enormous amount of life to this show. Although at times their presence was a bit overwhelming, they always added amazing energy to scenes that otherwise could've become dull.

The supporting characters really carried a lot of this production as well. Kyleigh Jehlicka played Tanya and was one of the most captivating performers onstage. She never wavered in character, energy and crisp vocals, which were showcased in her sassy solo, "Does Your Mother Know?" Her counterpart, Rosie, played by Cristina Mariné was just as engaging. Her comedic timing was spot on, and her character seemed so natural it was easy to forget she was a high school student. The chemistry between the two was absolutely electric and made for some unforgettable moments.

Although there were some technical moments that didn't go as smoothly as planned, they were easy to overlook. The mics seemed to pose a bit of a challenge with some moments of feedback or completely cutting out throughout the show, however they always managed to get back on track. The lighting was beautifully done especially considering new lighting equipment was being used. Caitlin Nicholson and Jenna Pick should be commended for their excellent work, not only creating magnificent pictures but also successfully conveying the mood of every moment onstage.

Cypress Bay's production of "Mamma Mia!" has all the flair and sparkle that is required of Abba's greatest hits. This is most definitely a memorable show with an even more memorable cast and crew.